


The Royal Treatment

by Oldguybones



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Etiquette lessons, Henrietta As A Country, M/M, Robert Parrish Is A Shitty King
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:54:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oldguybones/pseuds/Oldguybones
Summary: When Adam Parrish turned eighteen, he became the rightful heir to rule his home country of Henrietta. For years, he looked forward to taking over the nightmarish reign of his father and make the changes he wanted to see. But there was a huge problem. To officially hold the title, he first must wed and his foul mouthed, farm hand boyfriend, Ronan Lynch, knew nothing about royalty. Adam knew though, that there was no one better to rule by his side. So he must teach Ronan how to behave in the face of royalty without changing what he loved so dearly about him.With time running out, will he be able to do that in time to gain the current King's approval?
Relationships: Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40
Collections: TRC Big Bang 2020





	The Royal Treatment

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really excited to post this, my first official TRC work and for the TRC 2020 Big Bang nonetheless! 
> 
> The art embedded in this fic was created by this [wonderful artist](https://the-ronan-cycle.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Of all the things he wanted out of life, becoming King of Henrietta was at the top of Adam Parrish’s list. It was something he had spent his entire life dreaming about; taking the throne, wearing the crown, and most importantly, ending the reign of a bitter, old man who did nothing but harm the country he so claimed to love. 

Becoming the new king was less about following in his father's footsteps, like the media insisted, and more about paving over them entirely. There were countless laws he wanted to revoke, like those of private healthcare, or the lack of a livable wage. 

But first, he would have to abide by what was, in his opinion, the most ridiculous law of all. 

In order to take the throne, Adam was required to wed within thirty days of his twenty-first birthday. There weren’t any stipulations for his prospective spouse, they didn’t have to meet any specific criteria, other than the fact that they had to be judged by the royal family and then ultimately approved by the current king. Somehow that felt easier said than done, considering his current relationship status with a sharp, foul-mouthed farmhand who did not take kindly to judgement of any kind. 

But Adam knew Ronan Lynch beyond all the flaws everyone else saw him for. He saw through the rough, cold exterior to the thoughtful, compassionate interior. The only problem he faced was making other people see that too. 

He had met Ronan three years ago on a cold October night under the stars and fell in love with him shortly after. 

_For the past few days, Adam had been hearing rumors around the estate of a newly hired stable boy. He detested the concept of boiling someone down to their title, to their status, especially one so degrading, but that was the job after all. The last one had been fired for some “unacceptable behaviors,” as his father had put it. Adam wondered if his decision was actually justified; though questioning his father’s judgement was the last thing he wanted to do. He had done that enough times in his life to know better. It wasn’t worth the consequences._

_He hadn’t noticed any new members on staff. Then again, there wasn’t exactly a welcoming committee for them to parade them around and introduce them personally. Most times, they just quietly integrated right into the daily life at the royal estate._

_But Ronan Lynch did not do anything quietly as Adam was about to figure out._

_He sat at his desk working through his coursework for the week, positioned in front of his opened window. It was only cracked open slightly considering it was the middle of October and Henrietta winter was far from forgiving. But Adam loved the breeze of fresh air coming through his window, as well as the hushed sounds of nature all around him. It greatly calmed him, grounded him to earth._

_Unless it was disrupted by the angry, bitter shouting of some particularly unique expletives._

_Shitbag._

_Jesus Mary._

_Dickweed._

_Pissbucket._

_Color Adam both irritated and intrigued; he wasn't fond of having his peace and quiet interrupted, but he was curious to say the least. Who in their right mind would shout like that? And why? He had to know._

_After pulling on a sweatshirt, he made his way outside to investigate. It didn't take long to locate the source with the increasing volume of the swears. Right away, Adam discovered the ruckus to be coming from inside the stables, which were adjacent to his bedroom window. He pushed open the door slowly, curiously peeking his head inside. Inside he was greeted by the sight of a tall, muscular man with pale skin and a buzzed head. Everything about him seemed sharp, from his piercing blue eyes to his lips pulled into an angry scowl._

_Following a moment of admiration, Adam realized that he was talking to the horse he stood beside, brushing gently through its tangled mane. It was a humorous contrast between the softness of his strokes and the aggressiveness of his words._

_"Fuck whoever did this to you," he muttered, presumably more for his own benefit than the horse's. It was funny regardless. The horse let out a distressed sound at a particularly tough knot. "They can go to hell, for all I care."_

_It didn't take much to put together that this was the new stable boy; that much was obvious and yet, he didn't seem like someone his father would ever bring on staff. Then again, the last hire had been far from successful. He was starting to see why._

_"Hey, you!" The man's voice suddenly shouted, his hard gaze landing directly on Adam. "In or out. You're spooking all the horses."_

_“You must be the new stable hand,” Adam commented idly as he took a step in and closed the door behind him._

_“Guilty as charged,” he muttered, looking up from where he continued to pull the brush through the horse’s tail. His gaze ended up lingering on Adam for a few seconds longer than expected._

_Adam found himself momentarily breathless by his bright blue eyes. He ducked his head down to hide the blush he could feel creeping up his neck, threatening to turn his face red. “You always have a habit of cussing the livestock out?”_

_“For your information,” he replied with a significant amount of bite behind his words, “I had to tug on a knot so hard one of ‘em kicked me in the shin. All because some fucknut didn’t know how to properly care for them in the first place.”_

_Adam let out a snicker, “Well, maybe you shouldn’t stand behind them while you’re doing it. Kinda seems like a rookie mistake.”_

_“You think you’re an expert, why don’t you come over here and do it then?”_

_Adam peered over at the man who was smugly holding out the brush in his direction. There was something about the look in his eyes that sent a shiver down Adam’s spine. It was a challenge, which was something he wasn’t used to at all. No one around the estate ever dared to say an ill word to him, let alone challenge him. To say it was a nice change of pace would be a wild understatement._

_“Alright,” he said simply, a smirk on his face as he walked over to the designated stall. He snatched the brush away and stood near the horse’s rear, but off to the side. Grabbing a hold of the horse's mane, he pulled it over to him and immediately the animal neighed in protest, kicking out it's back leg. It did not calm down until Adam released its tail._

_"Not so easy, is it?" The man asked smugly, stepping behind the animal once again and grabbing the brush back from Adam._

_"I guess not," Adam chuckled lightly. He leaned his back against the wall of the stall, content for the moment to watch the attractive man stroking the soft bristle through the horse's hair. "What's your name?"_

_The man peered over at him. His eyebrows seemed to arch along with the pull of lips into a tight line. "What's it to you?"_

_Adam chose not to humor the man and remained silent. It was very effective._

_"Lynch," he answered after a quiet moment. "Ronan Lynch. And yours?"_

_For a moment, Adam toyed with the idea of not telling him; the slight smirk on his face probably gave him away. He liked the idea of someone not knowing his identity, not having the opportunity to treat him any differently._

_"Parrish," he answered after a moment. "Adam Parrish."_

_Ronan did a double take, first glancing at him when he first spoke up and then whipping his attention back again once the realization set in. "As in…" He gestured vaguely around them with his arms. "All of this?"_

_Adam couldn't help the little chuckle that escaped from his lips. "Uhh, yeah, I guess so?"_

_"Well, shit."_

_If Ronan sounded astonished, it was only for the briefest of seconds. And then something extraordinary happened._

_"If you're just gonna stand there, you might as well help me out," Ronan called, tossing him a brush and waving his towards the adjacent stall. "Get to work, Parrish."_

Adam swore, looking back, that he fell in love right then and there. He wanted a lifetime more of those nights. And a man of Ronan's caliber by his side to rule. Between his strong will and proud love for Henrietta, Adam knew there was no one better. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adam could get lost in moments like these, far too easily. Lying next to Ronan in bed was like having the whole world at his fingertips, yet never leaving the comfort of his home. He could drone on and on about his feelings for the man, but no words would ever suffice to declare his love. No one would understand his prose without the experience to go along with it. Those who had never felt an all consuming love wouldn’t understand. 

Ronan was lying on his stomach, head turned to the side and resting on his folded arms. It faced in Adam’s direction, but his eyes were shut. His breathing was slow, relaxed and the lower half of his body was covered by the sheet, the fabric teasing right against the curve of Ronan’s ass. His upper half was exposed and bare; it invited all of Adam’s spare attention. His eyes scanned over every curve and every muscle while his finger traced habitually along the lines of the black ink covering the entirety of his back. 

Adam couldn’t count the number of times he'd done this. He found, in those infinite times, that his finger never followed the same path twice.

“We need to talk,” he murmured softly into the still night air as his finger followed a curve of black ink near Ronan’s left shoulder blade.

The other man shivered; hard to say if it was due to his touch or his words. Knowing Ronan, it could’ve been both.

“Oh, c’mon, Parrish,” he groaned and cracked one eye open. “You really wanna ruin the perfect post sex bliss we got goin' here?”

A fond chuckle slipped from Adam’s lips and he held back the eyeroll that should’ve gone along with it. His finger dipped down between Ronan’s shoulders and began following the twist of lines down his spine. “It’s not gonna ruin anything. But it is really important and we need to talk about it.”

Ronan heaved out a heavy sigh, accompanied by him rolling onto his back and sitting up in bed. The sheets pooled in his lap as he sat with his feet pressed together. His hands rested somewhere on his calves. The position didn’t necessarily seem comfortable, creating a hunch in Ronan’s tall, slender frame; but this wasn’t the first time they’d had a conversation with Ronan posed in such a way. The first few times, Adam had tried to lure him into sitting more comfortably. He refused time after time and Adam became convinced that he liked the discomfort, the slight ache in his bones. Adam grew not to mind it. Like many things Ronan did or said, he just had to let them be. That was just Ronan being Ronan. 

And Adam loved him for it.

But now, as his twenty-first birthday drew nearer, those things had to change. It wasn’t as though he wanted them to, or that he wanted things to be different. But things were going to be, and he had a plan, one he’d been holding onto for years. 

Said plan was sitting beside him, grumbling and wearing a glare of mild inconvenience.

"Alright, hit me."

"Well, as you know, my twenty first birthday is coming up pretty soon," Adam began. 

"For the last time, Parrish, I'm not spilling the details to the wild rager I'm throwing you," Ronan ended the statement with a shit-eating grin. "You're gonna have to wait just like everyone else."

Adam chuckled and dropped his gaze down to his lap. He fixated on a stubborn cuticle, idly picking at it like it was more interesting than their current conversation. Suddenly, a wave of nerves had washed up on his shore. Ronan meant everything to him and he knew Ronan felt the same. 

Still though, it was a big event that was about to transpire before their very eyes so it seemed fair to him that he was nervous about it. They had talked about it countless times before, but there was always that small choice that Ronan would back out. 

"I know we've talked about this a lot already," Adam sighed, exhaling his nerves away. "But it's always been as a cross that bridge when we get to it kind of thing." 

Ronan looked over at Adam with an amused smile and pointedly kept quiet to let him continue. 

"Well now we're about to cross that bridge…" Adam glanced over expectantly. 

"Is this your way of proposing to me?" Ronan asked teasingly, knocking their shoulders together. "Cause I gotta say, a guy needs at least _a little_ romance."

"Can it, Lynch," Adam replied lightly. There was a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, a fond one. "I just want to make sure that this is still something you want to do. I know it's a lot to think about. And it would mean _a lot_ of responsibility for you.”

“I still want to do this.” For the first time during the conversation, Ronan spoke in a tone that conveyed a genuine sincerity. “I know it would be a lot of work, but I really want to do it. Especially if it means you're stuck with me forever.”

Adam’s small smile grew into an ear to ear grin as he leaned over, cupping Ronan’s cheek and capturing his lips in a kiss. He could feel Ronan’s lips curve into a smile against his. It made his heart soar; he could feel the wind under his wings, and the wild weightlessness of flying through the sky. He pulled back just enough to press his forehead against Ronan’s. These were the moments he cherished, where he got to see the glimpses of the real Ronan. Not the one who hid beyond harsh words and biting sarcasm. But the one with a smile that could melt his heart. 

“There are some things we need to go over,” Adam said, his lips still brushing over Ronan’s from their proximity. 

Ronan groaned and collapsed back onto the bed, flinging his arm up to cover his eyes. “I just officially agreed. Do we have to get down to business right away?” He peeked out from behind his arm with a smirk, “Shouldn’t we be celebrating?”

“You are insatiable,” Adam chided playfully, laying down on his side beside Ronan and propping his head up on his hand. “You remember me telling you about some of the rules in place? Like that we have to wed within thirty days of my twenty-first birthday, or that my father has to approve of you first...”

Ronan nodded along until the latter, and then he stopped, abruptly whipping his head in Adam’s direction. “I’m sorry, he has to what now?” he demanded. 

Adam let out a quiet sigh, not one of exasperation, but a knowing one. Prior to it, he knew exactly where this conversation would lead them. His boyfriend’s aggressive confusion. He wasn’t exactly what you would call a rule follower and Adam loved every moment of his proud defiance. 

But if they didn’t get the King’s blessing, every plan Adam had made for their future fell apart. And his father was not an easy man to please. Adam had spent his entire life working his ass off to gain his father’s trust, respect, love; after nearly twenty one years, he still hadn’t accomplished that yet. 

“C'mon, Ronan," Adam sighed, using the rare first name only basis. They tended to refer to each other strictly by their last names. Who knew who had started that trend specifically? But it was theirs and they abided by it religiously. So only in very serious moments did they refer to each other by their first names. "You've known about this for a long time. You knew this was coming."

"I guess," Ronan scoffed and rubbed a hand over his face. He exhaled a breath through puffed out cheeks. "I just thought that wouldn't matter because you're the one taking over, Parrish. You're the one who's gonna be making the rules."

"Well yeah." Adam reached over to take Ronan's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together. He stroked his thumb against the back of Ronan's, "Once I become king, I'll be able to enforce whatever rules I'd like. Ones I hope that you'll create with me. But until then, as much as it pains me to say it, we have to follow his rules. He's the current king and we have to abide by his laws. So we have to do this right."

“The last thing I want to do is abide by anything that sorry piece of shit says,” Ronan snapped, a balanced mix of angry and annoyed. Ronan’s feelings towards his father weren’t a secret; no, Adam knew exactly how Ronan felt about the man. Hell, they shared a lot of the same views. 

“I know, trust me, if anyone knows how much this sucks, it’s me,” Adam sighed. Before he continued, he sat up, legs crossed and facing Ronan, who remained laying down. “Look, I’ve spent my entire life following his rules, trying to make him happy, which, believe me, is nearly impossible. But ever since I was a little kid, I dreamt about the day when I would get to take over and make a real change for Henrietta. We just have to-” He paused momentarily to find the words. “We have to make a few little tweaks to get my father’s approval.”

Ronan’s dark brows pulled down in confused anger as he frowned. “Wait, what the fuck does ‘little tweaks’ mean?”

Adam cringed. He hated the concept of asking Ronan to change. But he hated the idea of not marrying him and ruling Henrietta together even more than that; those were just the sacrifices that had to be made, he supposed. He took a deep, stabilizing breath and met Ronan’s gaze. “For starters, we need to address your foul language. You’re going to be talking to every member of the royal family as well as the paparazzi. And it’s not going to reflect well on us if you’re out there dropping f-bombs.”

“Hey, my cursing portfolio is much more diverse than just f-bombs, okay?” Ronan replied with a certain amount of playfulness to his words. Presumably it was there strictly to cover up the real feelings he was mulling over. “And obviously I know when it’s an appropriate time to swear and when it’s not.”

“Okay, okay, fair,” Adam nodded along. “You are gonna have to learn some table etiquette. Because, full offense, you kinda eat like you’ve been starving in the desert for days.”

“Excuse me for appreciating a good meal,” Ronan grumbled.

Adam’s lips curved into a small, but smug smile. “We’re gonna have to take dance lessons, almost entirely for your benefit, but by default, I have to be there too.”

Ronan was the only person Adam knew who could convey sarcasm merely through a look alone. No words necessary.

Adam nudged his knee against Ronan’s shoulder. “We’ll have to get you a suit that fits, too. Like an actual, tailored suit.”

“Alright, alright, I get it.” 

“It’ll suck for a while,” Adam said, his voice as gentle as it was honest. “But it’ll be so worth it. This place is my home, I know it’s yours too. Don’t you think it deserves real leadership?”

Ronan had his reservations, but there was so much passion behind Adam’s words that Ronan just smiled and let him continue. 

“We can be that for Henrietta! I’m familiar with the political side to it. You know Henrietta better than anyone I know!” Adam went on, excitedly shifting onto his knees. “You grew up here and you love it. I know you want a better future for Henrietta. And that future begins with us. Right now.” He took Ronan’s hand between both of his and pressed a firm kiss to his ring finger knuckle, right below where he intended to put a ring soon enough. “We can have the perfect future together making Henrietta a better place.”

“You know I’m going to complain every step of the way,” Ronan informed him, voice taking on a very matter of fact tone. It was a direct contrast to the wide smile that had spread over his face.

Adam wore an identical smile and leaned into Ronan. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The following evening, Ronan joined Adam in the dining hall for their first, as he put it, lesson. Apparently, the way he ate was offensive and akin to an animal eating in the wild. He couldn’t completely disagree with the sentiment, but he did feel like it was at least slightly exaggerated. Could he get through a meal without wearing it? Not often. But did he growl and foam at the mouth when anyone came near his food? Almost never.

He hated the concept of having to change any aspect of himself, especially to appease some piece of shit member of royalty. But for Adam, he would burn cities and start wars. So the least he could do was learn to eat a little nicer. Besides, how hard could it really be?

Approximately five minutes in and Ronan was already ready to tear his metaphorical hair out. He learned right away that there was in fact a wrong way to use his napkin. He felt like he should be rewarded for using it at all; because on any other, normal day, he sure as shit wouldn't be using one. 

He and Adam were sitting at the large dining hall table, which was suited to seat roughly thirty people. It felt intimidating, to say the least. But at least, it was just the two of them right now. The idea of eating a meal at the table filled with the entire royal family while they all judged him taunted him, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. 

Right now, he was just trying to focus on just the two of them. It felt much more manageable to handle when it was just him and Adam. He'd spent the entire remainder of the previous night and the day to prepare himself for this lesson. He knew he would be feeling a surplus of frustration, but he just kept reminding himself that he was doing this for Adam; so they could make a real, honest change for all the people of Henrietta. It felt worth it in the grand scheme of things. Surely, he could suffer through a few nights of hell for the greater good.

"So your napkin remains on your lap the entire time," Adam began telling him, as if there was so much more to it than that. “If you need to use it, bring it up to your-”

“Okay, Parrish, I think I know how to use a napkin," Ronan chuckled a little, like it was some silly joke.

Adam glanced over at Ronan. The slightest Southern twang came out as he playfully scoffed, “That’s debatable.” He offered Ronan a toothy grin-one he was more than familiar with-in response to the unamused glare Adam received for his comment. “I know it seems silly, but it matters.”

Ronan nodded and mumbled out a quiet, “I know,” as he settled the cloth napkin in his lap. He kept his attention fixed on Adam, unable to keep the fond expression off of his face. He loved listening to the other man speak, about anything really. Adam could read a phonebook from cover to cover and Ronan was sure he’d be captivated the entire time. 

Adam began explaining how and when to use each of the utensils in front of them. Ronan begrudgingly found himself grateful for the knowledge because he was unaware that any of them served separate purposes. 

He had a kid brother growing up who could rarely get through a meal using only one utensil. There were always forks dropped here, spoons flung across the room there. So naturally, he just assumed the extras served as backup; that made more sense to him than having six utensils for one meal. 

But oh, how wrong Ronan was.

“So it’ll be a five course meal,” Adam told him, “It starts with an hors d’oeuvre, and then an appetizer, followed by a salad. After that, it’ll be the main course and then it finishes off with dessert.”

“Dessert, I can get behind that,” Ronan said, nodding approvingly for a brief moment before he frowned in confusion, “But what the fuck is an “hors d’oeuvre”?”

“It’s similar to an appetizer, but appetizers are usually chosen specifically to compliment the main course, whereas the hors d’oeuvre is separate and served at the beginning of the meal.”

“But the appetizer is served directly after that,” Ronan concluded. He had the slightest smug look on his face. “That doesn’t make any sense. Wouldn’t they be exactly the sa-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Adam cut in with an exasperated sigh, “I don’t know, okay? All you need to know is basic table etiquette and the order of the utensils.”

“I can handle that,” Ronan chuckled, leaning over to press a kiss to Adam’s cheek.

“Good, because we’re going to practice,” Adam chirped, smirking slightly as he leaned into Ronan's touch for a moment. He straightened up in his seat when a member of the kitchen staff came into the room, carrying two plates. "One of the most important things to remember is that you must wait until everyone has been served before beginning to eat. It's incredibly rude not to."

"There is gonna be more than one guy serving, right?" Ronan joked, looking around the large table. "Seems like a lot of work for one person, a lot of time to be waiting to eat."

"Yes, there will be plenty more people working the night of the ball," Adam answered. He held back the fond smile he felt creeping up in order to keep his composure as their plates were set down in front of them. Adam smiled up at the server and murmured a soft, but polite, "Thank you," over his shoulder.

Ronan followed suit, whipping his head back and nodding at the server. "Thanks man."

Adam waited until the server was out of the room before speaking again, "We'll just pretend that everyone in our make believe meal has been served already."

He then began to instruct Ronan on the proper utensil use, telling him to "when in doubt, use them outside in." Ronan felt fairly confident he could remember that, considering how close it was to rhyming. 

They ate their hors d’oeuvres in relative silence, Adam chiming in with a piece of advice here and there. Ronan took it all in as gracefully as he could, keeping his snide jokes to a minimum. 

Adam learned, fairly soon into their relationship, that Ronan's cooperation correlated precisely with how full his stomach was. Adam knew how much he hated the word, but hangry was coined specifically with Ronan in mind. 

"Now when you are finished with your plate, rest both your fork and your knife parallel to each other in the eleven o'clock position." Adam smiled at the way Ronan cocked an eyebrow in confusion. He reached over, grabbing Ronan's hand and guiding his silverware into the right position. "Like this. That means you're finished and the server will know to take your plate away."

The rest of the meal passed similarly: Adam instructing him on what he thought was common knowledge, Adam just smiling fondly and shaking his head when he clearly had no clue what he was doing, and Adam giving him gentle reminders throughout the different courses. The one that came up the most was to chew with his mouth closed, because apparently that was not something he did consistently. 

Through it all, Ronan did his best to bite his tongue and accept the instruction without any argument. This was all for a greater purpose. Even if it wasn't, it was all for Adam and that would always be enough for him. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The following day, they met with the estate’s tailor. Apparently, while Adam was a huge fan of his usual “farm boy get up”, it wouldn’t suffice for the day he had planned out for them. The attire for the occasion was far different than Ronan was used to; for starters, it’d been several years since he had worn any kind of denim without holes and not the kind designated for style either. 

But now, here he was, pulling on a pair of dark washed jeans with zero holes that fit him perfectly and very few things had ever felt so good. Especially considering the way Adam was looking him up and down. He smirked when he met Adam’s gaze as he pulled on a soft blue dress shirt. Adam had insisted on the color because it paired well with his skin tone and brought out the blue of his eyes. 

“You look very handsome,” Adam murmured softly to him, swatting his hands away so he could fasten each button himself. He smiled up at Ronan the entire time and Ronan felt breathless due to the fact that their closeness allowed him to count every freckle splattered across Adam’s nose and cheeks. It wasn’t the first time; he’d done it countless times before, but each time left him more smitten than before. 

Adam smoothed his hand over the buttons, “I still like the overalls best though.”

“You and me both, Parrish," Ronan replied, the corners of his lips quirking upwards. His eyes trailed from Adam's face down to his chest, which was framed perfectly by a deep burgundy button up. It stretched across his broad shoulders and Ronan swore right then that he could write epic odes to every dip, mark, line, and shape that made up Adam Parrish. 

"I know this isn't exactly your forte," Adam began as he gripped the bottom of Ronan's sleeve, folding it over and rolling it up to his elbow before repeating it on the other side. "But it's just for now. It's only temporary." He paused for a moment to catch Ronan's eyes. Then added with a teasing smile, "You'll be back to your foul-mouthed, overall wearing self in no time."

"I keep telling you, it's all a part of the job," Ronan insisted jokingly and placed his hands on Adam's hips. "I don't actually enjoy wearing them nearly as much as you think."

"Oh yeah?" Adam snorted, taking a step closer to Ronan. "Well, what about all the times you prance around with nothing under them?"

Ronan scoffed, "I don't prance, for one. And two, it's not my fault Henrietta gets so damn hot in the summer." If it sounded like a legitimate argument at first, that quickly melted away along with the way Ronan playfully winked at him. 

“Uh huh, sure.” Adam drew out the last word and punctuated it with an affectionate eye roll before he reached down to grab Ronan’s hand. “C’mon, we gotta get goin’.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ronan admired Adam for many reasons. That, in and of itself, was a total understatement, to say the least; he could fill book after book professing every last reason he loved Adam. But right now, from the passenger seat of Adam’s 2002 Toyota Corolla, he found himself focusing on one reason specifically. For all the status Adam held as prince of Henrietta, he never once took advantage of all the amenities at his disposal. 

Sure, he utilized the tailor in regards to fancy events, and called upon one of the many chefs on staff to make him dinner when he was too swamped with things. But more often than not, he was in the kitchen, cooking for himself. Or driving around in a car that was almost as old as he was. 

Adam was born into privilege, but was not spoiled by it. Rather, he used it, whenever he could, to help those less fortunate than himself. This very reason was behind their current destination, the grand opening of a youth center; for the past couple years, it had been a special project of Adam’s. Every spare moment he had went into overseeing the construction of the ideal spot for youths in their community to spend time in a safe, productive way. Adam visited the site almost every day and on far too many occasions, he stayed past dark to personally help with the construction.

Adam Parrish was never afraid to get his hands dirty. Ronan had known that since day one.

“So,” Adam began as he pulled into a parking spot and shut off the ignition. “We’re here for the ribbon cutting ceremony. It’s going to be televised, so there’s gonna be lots of cameras and lots of news-people buzzing around.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ronan murmured under his breath, smiling over at Adam. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Adam had a smile in his voice as he slid out of the driver’s seat and walked around the back of the car to meet Ronan. “By the way, I want you up there with me when I give my speech.”

Any hint of a smile on Ronan’s face faded to a frown, “Are you fucking with me, Parrish?” he asked, chuckling slightly. “This is kinda your big moment and I don’t wanna fuck that up for you.”

“Then don’t fuck it up,” Adam said simply, smiling as he began walking towards the building, where a crowd was already beginning to gather. 

Ronan loved watching Adam in his element. He had a way of talking to people, of engaging with them on a personal level. He always made sure that everyone felt heard and to someone like Ronan, that was downright impressive. 

Ronan watched him fondly, catching himself daydreaming about what a fantastic leader Adam would soon be. And if he could be half the man Adam was, then he would be just fine in life. 

Prior to the event, Adam had taught him to be mindful of his expressions at all times. He had even taken out his phone and snapped a handful of unprompted pictures where Ronan was clearly unaware of their taking. In every single one, he had a scowl on his face. So he figured that he would have to remind himself, through the whole event, to smile. 

But Adam was doing that for him. Because how could he not smile while watching Adam deliver a speech about everything he stood for? He was so damn proud of Adam and everything he had accomplished. And all of this was with only half the power he would possess in a short few months. Ronan could only imagine all the good Adam would do, all the good _they_ would do together. 

After Adam's speech and the ribbon cutting, they were called together for a photo op. Ronan had been content to step aside and let Adam shine in the spotlight-much like he deserved-but Adam insisted. 

They smiled for a few photos before Ronan leaned in to whisper in his ear, "You killed it with your speech."

Adam thanked everyone posing for the picture and the cameraman alike, then pulled Ronan away from all the commotion, where they could have a quiet moment to themselves.

They shared a kiss. And then another. 

"Really? Do you think it was fitting for the occasion? Do you think people enjoyed it?"

Ronan laughed, "Are you kidding? They ate that shit up. I know you worked for hours on this speech, but I really enjoyed the part you improvised towards the end. About how Henrietta is home to you and you want the community to feel more like family and-"

"It's a little hypocritical though, don't ya think?" The question came from an unidentified voice. 

Both men whipped their heads back towards the celebration and found a man they didn't recognize walking towards them. It became pretty obvious that he was a member of the press, with the cameraman following after him and the badge hanging around his neck. 

Ronan clenched his jaw right away in an effort to keep his composure. He felt Adam's gentle touch against his arm and it kept him grounded, at least until the man spoke again. 

"How can you say that Henrietta is your home and you want the community to be more like family? You live in a mansion that has over twenty bedrooms and is valued at one point seven million dollars. And don't even get me started on your family. I don't know how you could wish for anything to be like your sorry excuse of a family." The man then shoved his microphone into Adam's face. 

Ronan could feel the hot anger coursing all the way through him. He wanted nothing more than to tear this asshole, well, a new asshole. But Adam's voice in his head stopped him, along with the pointed look Adam gave him. 

He took a deep breath to center himself, before standing forward. "Adam Parrish is going to be a fantastic leader. Honestly, he already is." 

He gestured to the new building, "C'mon, look at this amazing youth center that he funded and helped build! And I don't mean that metaphorically. He literally helped build this place. So no matter what you think of him or his family or whatever you think, Henrietta is darn lucky to have him as their future king."

The man looked stunned for a moment, perhaps mulling over what to come back with. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he just turned around and walked away, leaving the two of them to another quiet moment. 

Adam waited until the man was far enough away before poking a finger to Ronan's side and adding teasingly, "You said darn."

Ronan turned and grabbed Adam's tickling hand. "I know and it was hell, thank you very much." His expression softened. "But I think I still got the point across."

"I think so too," Adam replied with a smile, resting his head on Ronan's shoulder and watching the celebration continue in front of them. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning, Adam found himself overwhelmed with nerves. The entire week had flown by; he had expected a lot more struggle and a lot more pushback, but for the most part, everything had gone smoothly. Ronan had been a much more willing student than he originally anticipated. He learned how to handle himself in the dining hall; he managed to control his potty mouth when it mattered most and of all the pictures that came back from the opening event, the photographers had only managed to capture one shot of Ronan scowling. 

Adam was beaming with pride. He was beyond proud of Ronan for taking their given situation as well as he was. And all the while, Ronan managed to stay true to himself, something Adam had wished for since the beginning. 

But today would prove to be the hardest task of all. The one he had been dreading all along. Ronan accepted the rest with relative ease, but Adam knew that this one would sting. It wouldn’t be a walk in the park like the other lessons had been.

Today, they danced.

Or rather, they were going to learn how to dance. Adam had taken a few lessons here and there over the years so he was moderately comfortable on his feet. Ronan, however, had two left feet and absolutely no motivation to find a right. 

So Adam did what anyone would do in his situation. Bribery. Well, it wasn’t so much a bribe as it was just ensuring that Ronan had a great morning to start his day off. And then when Ronan was nice and relaxed, he would drop the dance bomb on him and hopefully it would cushion the blow. 

For starters, he let Ronan sleep in; nothing crazy, just a couple extra hours. Then he ducked his head under the covers and acted as the world’s best alarm clock. After that, he sent Ronan off to shower and when he returned, he had breakfast waiting in bed for the both of them. By that point though, Ronan was growing suspicious; any single one of those things and maybe it could be brushed off as a coincidence or just something nice Adam decided to do for him. However, all three of them together? Obvious grounds for suspicion.

But Adam managed to side-step it well enough, at least right up until Ronan put two and two together, demanding to know why they were heading towards the studio room. 

Adam just gave him a sheepish smile as he pulled him inside. Even though Ronan had known about the dance lesson all along, that wouldn't stop him from resisting the entire time. As declared, he would complain all the while and Adam was prepared for it. 

"C'mon Lynch, don't be a baby," he groaned, having to all but drag Ronan into the studio. He wished he hadn't told Ronan to put on shoes; it would be far easier to pull him in if his feet were covered by socks alone. The thought of Ronan sliding on his socks made him chuckle to himself.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" Ronan questioned. He was not prepared to cooperate quite yet. 

Adam mulled the thought over in his mind for a few moments, and then a few extra just to tease Ronan and watch him squirm. "A little bit, yeah."

"I'm glad you're having fun with this," Ronan spoke with a monotonous tone that said the exact opposite of his words. He, in fact, was not glad at all. He fixed Adam with a hardened stare to tell him such. "But I've told you before, Parrish, I don't dance."

"Maybe not," Adam considered, humoring him briefly as he pulled Ronan to the middle of the room and spun around with his arms out. Gracefully, he stopped precisely when he faced Ronan again in order to deliver his next perfectly timed line, "But you're going to today!"

Ronan let out a soft sigh, if it could even be called that. The sound was more just a thick breath forcefully exhaled through his nostrils. 

Adam cringed at the response. See, with Ronan, the louder the fuss, the easier it was to break him. When Ronan yelled and made a big deal of things, he typically caved shortly after. But it was in those moments of quietly expressed frustration or anger that he held his ground and firmly stood by what he believed.

Adam knew he would have to bust out at least one inspirational speech if they were going to successfully get through the lesson. Perhaps with just a smidge of guilt.

"We have to do this, Ronan," Adam urged him gently, as though he were a baby deer that he feared would dart away and retreat to safety at the first sign of movement. "We have to learn to dance so we don't make fools of ourselves in front of everyone. Need I remind you, this will be a televised event?"

"Speak for yourself," Ronan scoffed and stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't need any kind of lesson to muddle through one simple dance."

Adam snickered softly to himself, "I've seen you, Lynch." He walked a slow circle around Ronan as he spoke. "You talk a big game and act like a big man." He playfully pulled Ronan's arms away from his body and poked him in the chest. "But I've seen you. I _know_ you. And _you_ are a grade A klutz."

If looks could kill, then Ronan's could at least knock the teasing grin off of Adam's face. Ronan was glaring daggers at him for a long few moments; the tension in the room grew thicker and thicker until it all melted from Ronan's face and he let out a bark of laughter.

"Let's just get this over with, okay?"

Adam introduced Ronan to their instructor for the afternoon and they began the lesson. It started with them learning the basic box step. The instructor glanced between them and innocently asked who would be leading. 

Adam met Ronan's eye and smirked, "That'd be me." He rested his arms over Ronan's outstretched ones as the instructor guided them. First, they had to master the box step; then, they would be able to practice doing so in the dance position. 

"Since you are leading, Prince Adam-"

"Just Adam," he corrected with a gentle smile over at the instructor, "Please."

The instructor nodded and moved forward to place a hand on their joined arms. "Since you are leading, Adam, you must be confident and step with assurance. Otherwise your partner will be unable to follow."

Ronan caught Adam's eyes. There was almost a smile on his face as he held Adam's gaze, the instructor droning on beside them. They shared a knowing look between themselves. One that said, _wherever I go, you go_ . And one that answered, _wherever you go, I go_.

So Adam stepped back with his left foot and Ronan followed with his right. Then Adam stepped to his right and Ronan to his left in sync with him. But when it came time for Ronan to take the next step backwards, he remained stationary, which resulted in Adam's stepping on his foot. 

The two of them stumbled a bit and Adam chuckled. "You know you have to follow the step."

"Oh, excuse me, I thought someone else was leading," Ronan replied with a smirk. 

Those words brought Adam's chuckle to a full blown laugh. He pressed himself closer to Ronan for a moment before straightening back up and regaining his composure. "Will you just do the damn steps?" He demanded lightly. 

"Yeah, yeah, alright, alright," Ronan muttered, a playful glint in his eyes as he ducked his head down to sneak a chaste kiss to Adam's lips.

If the instructor noticed, they had the decency to pretend they hadn't. 

"Return to the starting position. Adam, whenever you're ready, take the first step forward."

The two of them settled back into the starting position, their feet together and ready for the first step. Adam met Ronan's gaze, nodding slightly to signal the beginning. This time, with both of them following the steps, they managed to complete an entire box. It wasn't the smoothest of movements, but they were just starting to get the hang of it, finding their own rhythm. 

Soon enough they grew far more comfortable with it and their movements became much smoother. They could even complete the box of steps without staring down at their feet. 

"Go ahead and take the dance position," the instructor guided them gently, moving them into place. 

Adam's arm wrapped around his waist so that his hand rested at the center of his lower back; Ronan's hand came up to rest on Adam's shoulder. Their other hands clasped together. 

For a while, they practiced the box step like that. They experimented with their steps, allowing the flow of the music to lengthen their strides and influence their rhythm. They still adhered to the simple box step, of course; their instructor wouldn't allow them to forget it. 

But now, it actually looked like they were legitimately dancing. Adam even lifted his arm for Ronan to twirl around under it and laughed wildly while Ronan scowled the whole time. It quickly faded however when Adam returned his hand to Ronan's back and pulled him in much closer than they were before. 

Ronan's hand moved from Adam's shoulder to cradle the back of his neck, his fingers playing with the wispy hairs there. Their joined hands were pressed tightly between them and their rhythm slowed significantly until they were eventually just swaying to the music. 

At this point, the instructor mumbled out some excuse to leave and gave them their privacy. 

Somehow, the two of them managed to press themselves closer to one another, to where Ronan's chin fell just below Adam's shoulder and Adam's lips brushed against his temple. 

"Tamquam," Adam whispered softly, still guiding their gentle sway to the music. 

"Alter idem," Ronan responded, just as tenderly. It wasn't too often that they shared quiet moments like this one, uninterrupted by the outside world and even uninterrupted by themselves. 

Their worlds were about to be flipped upside down; whether they gained the King's approval or not, things were going to change and it was going to happen at million miles an hour. There was nothing either of them could do to stop it. They just had to attend the royal event and utilize every lesson they'd learned over the past week. Everything else was out of their hands.

But for this moment, they were at peace in each other's arms. And that would always be enough.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the day of the event, Adam had set approximately twelve alarms to ensure that they woke at a reasonable time. Though it was mostly for Ronan's benefit, Adam still found himself snoozing through a couple of them, forgoing the thought of getting out of bed in favor of draping himself entirely over Ronan's still sleeping form. The other man let out a soft grunt in his sleep and wrapped an arm around Adam's shoulder. 

But otherwise, he remained asleep. It was rather impressive to Adam what Ronan could sleep through. Both in regards to loud noises and troubling thoughts. 

It wasn't the same for Adam. That wasn't to say he had any troubled thoughts the previous night, but the slightest worries began to creep into his mind the moment he laid his head down on his pillow to sleep. Sleep never did come; however, the hairline cracks of worry splintered off and grew thicker, until his mind completely shattered and caved in under the pressure. 

It probably wasn't the best night to get no sleep; he probably needed the rest now more than ever. And he tried to remind himself of that as he laid awake all night. Not that it did him much-or any- good.

He had all the confidence in the world that Ronan would blow the event out of the water. Despite that, he agonized over the possibility of his father's disapproval. To no fault of Ronan's, simply because his father was a cruel man and liked to remind him of that often. He could see his father saying no completely out of spite. Just like that, all the plans he had made for himself and for Ronan and _for Henrietta_ would vanish. 

The weight of that possibility was crushing him. 

Before he could dwell on it any longer, Ronan shifted beneath him, letting out a soft groan. 

"Mmm, Parrish, you're crushing me."

"Sorry," Adam replied with a slight chuckle as he rolled off of Ronan and instead laid down beside him. "Good morning."

"Morning," Ronan echoed, his voice heavy with sleep still. Adam had learned, after spending many, _many_ mornings with Ronan, that it was not in anyone's best interest to wake him harshly. He needed time and space to wake up in the most natural, serene way possible. 

They spent a few minutes laying in silence, Adam's fingernails scratching ever so lightly across Ronan's chest and down his stomach. The soft appreciative moans from him put a fond smile on Adam's face. 

"Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not really," Adam answered truthfully, because he knew there was no real point in denying it. Ronan would see through him in a second if he tried to lie. Adam sighed and looked up at Ronan. "I'm really nervous about today. Not about you! It's just...my father has a tendency to be-"

"An asshole? A prick? Shitbag? Dickweasel?" Ronan cut in to suggest. 

"To put it lightly," Adam snickered. "I'm just worried that he's going to disapprove of you, purely because he's all of those things. Just because. Just for fun!" Adam took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled it a moment later. "I'm so glad that the day is here. I'm just _worried."_

"You," Ronan began, smirking as he turned over onto his stomach and slid under the covers. "Need to relax a bit. And I know just the thing that'll help you out with that."

Adam's eyebrows nearly shot into his hairline from the surprise of feeling Ronan's hand slip into his boxer briefs. "Mmm, fuck," he groaned, licking his lips and letting his eyes slip shut. 

Ronan’s chest swelled with pride at the sounds coming from his partner. He knew, more than anything, that Adam needed to have a relaxing morning and he knew precisely how to give it to him. But before he could even pull down Adam’s underwear, another sound hit the air. 

A soft snore.

Ronan pulled the covers back, just enough to pop his head out and confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, looking up, he found Adam fast asleep; his head laid back on his pillow and his mouth hung open as he snored, rather loudly. With a fond smile, Ronan carefully slid out of bed and pulled the covers back over Adam. He was glad to see Adam getting some rest, regardless of whether he got to execute his plan fully or not. Instead, he would just have to skip to step two of the plan, which perfectly mirrored what Adam had done for him the previous week. Hopefully breakfast in bed would help him relax too. 

Hours later brought the two of them to the estate’s tailor. They each had custom suits made for the occasion, despite their adamant protests; Adam already possessed a few well fitting suits that would have been more than adequate for the dinner and Ronan only needed a suit jacket to go with the pants he’d already had tailored for the event the prior week. But Adam’s mother, the queen, insisted and she left no further room for argument. 

They were required to go in one last time to do a final fitting and ensure everything was in order for their occasion that evening. They would get to leave with the suits to bring them back to their room so they’d be able to get ready later.

Adam had already changed into his suit and was standing in front of the full length mirror to inspect himself. He tugged on the lapels of the jacket and adjusted the sleeves over his wrists. It was a beautiful suit, that was for sure. But the sight of it made his stomach churn with nerves. Suddenly, it all felt too real; all the possibilities, the what ifs crashed through his mind like a tsunami on the shore of his future. 

But all that faded when he noticed Ronan’s reflection in the mirror, right in time for the two of them to lock eyes. He lost his breath in that moment; Ronan looked stunning. His suit was a deep navy that brought out the blueness of his eyes and it fit impeccably to hug every muscle and curve. 

Adam spun around, looking Ronan over once more before moving over to him. His fingers found their way to Ronan’s tie, straightening the knot as he stared up at him. Anyone witnessing the moment could tell, just from their shared, smitten stare how deeply in love the two of them were.

“You look so handsome,” Adam murmured softly, his lips curving into a smile.

“So do you,” Ronan whispered back. He reached up to playfully adjust his bowtie. “Ready to do this?”

Adam chuckled and nodded eagerly. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this day.” He paused, reaching his hand up to caress Ronan’s cheek as their gazes remained fixed on each other. “And I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone better to have by my side.”

Ronan rolled his eyes playfully. “You going soft on me, Parrish?”

“I’m being serious,” Adam insisted with a laugh that trailed off as he continued, “For years, I’ve watched my mother be a voiceless queen to my father. And I won’t let that happen to you.” He laughed again. “There’s no way I could. You are so headstrong, I couldn’t even silence you if I tried.”

Ronan leaned down to press a slow, firm kiss to his lips. “I can’t wait to change Henrietta with you.”

“Look who’s being soft now?” Adam teased, letting his hands drop down to Ronan’s hips. “I can’t wait either. C’mon, let’s go. Our future awaits.”

Ronan allowed Adam to pull him out of the room by the hand, groaning in exasperation. “You’re such a cheeseball, Parrish.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For all the years Adam had known Ronan, he could count, on one hand, the number of times he’d seen Ronan nervous. Even the first night they met, he didn’t seem nervous at all; when he found out Adam’s true identity as the prince, his demeanor didn’t change a bit. But right before their very first kiss, Ronan looked like he was about to barf; and their first time, he shook like a leaf. The first time he mentioned the idea of them getting married someday was also on that short list. But not a lot else was.

Now, he could add this very moment to that list. They had arrived at the event a short while ago, walked down the red carpet that was lined with paparazzi, and mingled amongst all the other attendees. Ronan seemed in his element, or rather at least more comfortable than he would’ve been otherwise. That seemed to last right up until the king and queen walked up to them.

“Son,” The king said, his tone very formal and devoid of any sort of emotion. He held his hand out expectedly. 

Adam’s body language remained very stiff as he reached out to shake his father’s hand. “You’ve met Ronan Lynch, my soon to be husband,” he gestured over to Ronan, who exhibited some strong self control and simply leaned in to shake the king’s hand.

“We shall see about that,” Robert replied coldly, his eyes scanning over the entirety of Ronan’s body, all the way from his buzzed hair down to his freshly polished dress shoes. “Cleans up well enough.”

“He is an exceptional man.” Adam’s voice was quiet in volume, but loud in tone. It wasn’t a scene-making yell, but it held so much impact regardless. “Henrietta will be lucky to have him.” With that, he slipped his hand into Ronan’s and pulled him away to find their seats around the table. He smiled with the utmost affection at Ronan when he pulled out his chair for him. 

“Don’t mind him,” Adam leaned over to murmur in Ronan’s ear the moment he sat down in his own chair.

“Trust me, I don’t,” Ronan assured him quickly and quietly. He momentarily debated where to put his hands after he settled his napkin in his lap; one stayed in his lap while the other rested idly on the table, though his fingers soon began to drum lightly against the wood. The table was now full, every seat packed. With every new addition around the table, Ronan grew more apprehensive. 

Adam noticed.

He brought his hand up to Ronan’s, giving it three, firm squeezes. _I. Love. You._

Ronan responded with three of his own. _Love. You. Too._

Slowly, he brushed his thumb up and forth across Ronan’s knuckles. They were just about to serve the first course; the time was here and their official judgement had begun. Adam leaned in close, speaking quiet words only meant for Ronan. “Don’t fuck this up. I kinda want to marry you.” 

Ronan stole a chaste kiss to his lips in response. It may not have been the most proper thing, especially considering all the cameras documenting the whole event. But it was well timed with the arrival of the hors d’oeuvres and seemingly sneaky enough. Plus the small gesture worked wonders to calm Ronan’s wild nerves. 

As the dinner went on, Adam found himself bursting with pride; Ronan was utilizing every piece of information he’d been taught during their table etiquette lesson and he was doing it well. He was even conversing with those around him. 

Adam had known these people for most of his life; he was comfortable with the idea of holding conversations with most of them. For Ronan though, it was his first time meeting most of these people and yet, he was talking to them like he’d known them for years. The most surprising part of all that was the conversation he held with his father. Adam himself couldn’t even do that without snarling and barring his teeth.

“Well times are changing,” Ronan was saying, holding firm, direct eye contact. “All the laws and policies that may have been applicable back in your day don’t hold up anymore. They don’t focus on what people in this day and age are concerned about and I think that’s where the disconnect comes from between you and the people of Henrietta. And I think that’s precisely why Adam will make an incredible leader. He knows what the people want and what they need.”

“And what makes you think that you’re fit to rule beside my son?” Robert demanded, “What makes you think he couldn’t do this without you?”

“Honestly, he could,” Ronan began frankly, “There is absolutely no reason why Adam needs someone by his side to rule over Henrietta. But if he must, then he should have someone who is just as invested in Henrietta as he is. I was born and raised here. And I know what it’s like to be a part of the working class. Everything that Adam can and has ever dreamed for Henrietta, I’m right there with him. Always.”

Adam’s cheeks were a slight pink, illuminating the splatter of freckles across his cheeks and nose. There were tears beginning to shine in his eyes, ones that came from pride, from love, and everything in between. “He really is,” Adam affirmed softly, his attention focused on Ronan despite speaking to his father. “He is everything I’ve ever dreamed. Everything I wanted in a partner and in a fellow king. He will be just as important, just as beneficial for Henrietta as myself.”

After that, for the rest of the meal, Robert didn’t utter another word, but his watchful eyes remained on them the entire time. Adam knew it, Ronan noticed it. But both of them ignored him in favor of enjoying each other’s company. And when it came time to move on to the dancing portion of the evening, they continued to do so. Despite the full dance floor around them, they stayed focused on each other. It was like they were the only two people in the world. 

Adam's arm was wrapped firmly around Ronan's waist, keeping them pressed close together as they danced while Ronan had his hand resting on Adam's bicep. Their other hands were joined tightly together. 

"So much for 'I don't dance' huh, Lynch?" Adam teased, holding his arm up for Ronan to spin underneath it. 

"Nothing but sacrifices for you," Ronan replied with a smirk as he spun around, stepping forward to return to their previous dancing position. 

Adam threw his head back and let out a bark of laughter. He knew the words were sincere, even if Ronan was being a smart ass about it. And Adam loved him for both. Leaning forward, he pressed a slow kiss to Ronan's lips, "Ever so selfless," he murmured against them. 

A somber moment fell over the two of them as they caught the King staring, in what appeared to be disapproval. 

"What happens if he doesn't approve?" Ronan asked, his voice expressing every doubt and insecurity floating between them. There were countless uncertainties hanging in the air in that moment. 

There was a sense of whimsy in Adam's voice when he answered. "Then we'll run away.” 

"I'm being serious."

"So am I," Adam insisted, chuckling slightly. "I would follow you to the ends of the world. Wherever we go, I know there's nothing we can't accomplish when we're together."

"That's so fucking corny," Ronan snorted softly while simultaneously locking eyes with Adam. He dropped his voice even lower and added, "But same."

Adam tilted his head forward to press his forehead against Ronan's. "We'll find out his decision tomorrow and just...deal with whatever it is."

A quiet, but tense moment passed before the atmosphere softened with one gently uttered word. "Tamquam.” One word, seven letters. A lifetime of meaning, of love and devotion. 

“Alter idem.” The heartfelt response came softly murmured from Adam’s lips. He tightened his arm around Ronan and brought the movement of their feet to a halt. As the song changed, fading to one with a slightly slower melody, they began to sway to the music, just like they had during their private dance lesson. 

“What’d you say we get out here?” Adam asked cheekily, moving his other arm down to wrap around Ronan’s waist and envelop him.

Ronan gave him an incredulous stare, “You wanna leave? Isn’t the whole point of this thing sorta for us?”

“Hmmm, that’s a little conceited, Lynch,” Adam snickered. His face softened a second later to a genuine, enamored smile. Sometimes he could hardly hold it in when he stood before Ronan; it was hard not to look at him with all the love and affection he felt for the man. “I just really want to get you alone.”

Ronan’s lips curled up into a devilish grin, “That can definitely be arranged.”

Adam returned his grin, wearing one of equal mischief as he took Ronan’s hand and glanced all around the room. Once he confirmed all eyes were off of them, he pulled Ronan away from the dancefloor and out of the ballroom all together. They both laughed, free and unrestricted as they ran down the hall towards their room. 

When they got there, into the safety of their solitude, they immediately fell into each other. Hands traveled all over bodies as their lips slotted together. Clothes were shed, one piece at a time, leaving enough room in between each to explore the newly exposed skin. 

Once they were finally stripped bare, both physically and spiritually, they made their way to bed and made slow, passionate love. In between the outcries of gratification and bliss, they laughed. They enjoyed each other’s company, just as much as they did their bodies, if not more. It was everything they needed in that moment.

Time faded away. It was impossible to say how long they’d been at it. Hours could’ve passed; for all they knew, it could have been the entire night and they were about to be disrupted in the most cruel way by the harsh alarm clock awakening them to their reality. 

They laid awake for some time afterwards, still entangled together. No words were spoken, only soft touches littered across sweaty skin. Eventually, they succumbed to slumber, knowing that whatever tomorrow brought, come hell or high water, they were ready to face it. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning came and went all too soon. They woke up, cooked a large breakfast together, and, for once, sat down in the dining hall to eat it. Truth be told, they needed it. Both a hearty breakfast and the peaceful time to themselves.

They only had a few hours left until they would receive the fated decision that would, either way it swung, change the course of their futures. It was agony, trying to occupy themselves while they waited. Adam wanted to barge into the chamber room and demand an answer; God knew his father had already made up his mind, before even giving Ronan the benefit of honest consideration. 

So the two of them decided to go for a walk after breakfast to try and rid themselves of all their nerves. Maybe the fresh air and beautiful scenery would do them some good, but in all honesty, the only thing it accomplished was the same level of anxiety, just outside instead. 

They paced around idly for a couple hours, chatting about anything that popped into their minds. At least anything but the one biggest thing on their mind. Right now, that felt like a forbidden subject. Like if they spoke too much of it, they might influence the decision and it was delicate enough as it was. 

Eventually, they wandered back inside to get dressed, to swap out their casual clothes for something more formal. They stood outside the throne room to wait, having arrived somewhat early. 

"Whatever happens," Adam said simply, knowing the other words, the rest of the sentence hung in the air. He didn't need to say it, Ronan already knew.

"Whatever happens," Ronan echoed in response, leaning forward to briefly rest his forehead against Adam's before the chamber door was opening up. 

"The King will see you now."

Each taking a breath, they locked hands and walked into the room, moving forward until they stood before the King. A thick tension circled around the room as it remained unclear who would speak first. 

Finally, the King spoke. "After a lot of consideration, I have reached my decision."

They kept their hands tightly clasped together; their breath seemed caught in their chests while they waited. Adam squeezed Ronan's hand, and he immediately squeezed Adam's back. 

Everything they'd been working on, everything they'd been dreaming about together, it all hung in the balance of this one decision. To say it was make or break didn't feel strong enough to describe what was at stake for them. 

"I've come to the decision that your union would not be in the best interest of Henrietta and therefore I cannot give you my blessing."

Ronan felt all the air knock out of his lungs. He knew the possibility of him successfully gaining the King's approval was slim, but somehow it still stung to be rejected. Keeping his composure proved difficult and he could already feel his face grow red in anger. But when he glanced over at Adam to gauge his reaction, he already looked like he was about to explode.

“No! You will _not_ sit there and tell me that we do not have Henrietta’s best interest at heart!” Adam erupted, taking a large step forward to bridge the gap between him and his father. “We are the _only_ ones who give a shit about Henrietta at all! Because you certainly do not.”

His father sat forward, an indignant look on his face. “Young man! You will not speak to me that way!”

“You have been nothing but a sore spot on the history of our country,” Adam continued, his voice first coming out in a low growl, but building to a yell. You want to rule it, to own it. We want to build it, to nurture it! We are the best option here. We are the future Henrietta deserves!”

“You better shut your mouth or so help me God, I will shut it for you!” Robert barked as he shot up from his throne. “I do not care what you think is best for Henrietta! I am King of this land and as long as I am alive, we will abide by _my_ rules!”

“That won’t be for long, Father,” Adam replied coldly. He stepped closer to the man, refusing to back down from his seemingly intimidating stare. “We both know that your health has been declining rapidly and that there’s no way you’ll make it another five years. In fact, I think that’s an incredibly generous estimate. So why don’t we just drop the bureaucratic bullshit and you can save yourself the embarrassment of refusing to give me the throne, only to have me take it regardless when you drop dead in a few years time?”

Robert remained silent.

“If that is the way you would like to proceed, then so be it,” Adam said in the most convincingly nonchalant way as he shrugged his shoulders.”But I will take over the throne, whether it be now, or years from now, Ronan and I will be the rightful rulers of Henrietta.”

With that, Adam stepped back and grabbed Ronan’s hand once again, beginning to pull him towards the exit. They got to the door, Adam’s fingers wrapped around the knob when his father’s voice called them back.

The smirk on Adam’s face as the two of them shared a glance sent a rush of thrill through Ronan. For a moment, Adam even had Ronan guessing whether or not he was bluffing. Were they genuinely about to walk out? Or did Adam know that his father would immediately cave? But the smug look on his face definitely sold the latter as the clear answer.

“Fine!” Robert called from across the room. He waited until they were standing before him once again before uttering a begrudging, “Well played, son.”

“Guess I must’ve learned something from you after all,” Adam muttered under his breath. He peered up at his father, voice now firm and unwavering. “I want to hear you say it. You need to promise me that you are giving us your blessing and that we will be allowed to wed, and then take the throne afterwards.”

"You have my word and my blessing."

"As it rightfully should be," Adam insisted firmly, "You made the right decision and surely, the people of Henrietta will agree."

Ronan found himself curious to see how the King would respond, or if he even would at all. But before he could find out, Adam walked back over to him and guided him out of the room with a hand on his lower back. 

As soon as they were alone in the empty hallway, Adam dropped down to one knee, having fished a beautiful, gold band from his pocket. He held it up to Ronan and along the inside curve, the word "tamquam" was etched into the metal. 

"Now that I've coerced my father into giving us his blessing," Adam began with a little chuckle, "I can officially ask you to be my husband and also, King of Henrietta."

"Now that's what I call romance." Ronan grinned as he let Adam slide the ring onto his finger, then reached into his own pocket to produce a ring of his own. "Alter idem" was engraved on the inside of the silver band. He tugged Adam up onto his feet, slid the ring on his finger, and cupped both of his cheeks to bring their lips together in a kiss. 

"I can't wait," Ronan said happily, caressing Adam's cheeks as their lips still brushed together in a handful of soft, follow up kisses. 

"I can't believe it worked," Adam chuckled, his arms wrapping around Ronan's neck to pull himself closer to his soon to be husband. "There was like, a split second where I thought he wasn't gonna budge."

"We did it," Ronan declared happily and circled his arms around Adam's waist, burying his face against his neck. "We actually, _really_ did it."

A quiet moment passed between them, where they remained in each other's embrace and enjoyed the first moment of true peace they'd felt in some time.

Eventually, Ronan pulled back and gave Adam a skeptical look. "Don't you dare tell me that our wedding is going to be like the event was last night. Because I'm honestly not sure if I can take much more of that."

"Oh yeah, about that…" Adam laughed softly, shaking his head. "Our wedding is going to be like ten times the size and at least fifty times the publicity."

Ronan's head dipped down as he let out a heavy sigh. After a second, he rolled his neck around to bring his gaze back up to Adam. The second his eyes landed on his face, he couldn't help the warm smile that adorned his face. "Wouldn't expect anything less. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

A week later, the two of them would celebrate Adam's 21st birthday as fiancees. Approximately three weeks after that, they would officiate their union and become husbands. The following day was their swearing in ceremony and every day after that, they were Kings of Henrietta, paving the way for a better and bright future. Together.


End file.
